Wire-reeling apparatus.



510.726,855.. PATBNTED MAY5,1903.

J. W. BROOKS. f

WIRE REELING APPARATUS.

APPLIoATIoN FILED 05122, 1902.

No MODEL.

a tllllllll-i-llulnmmu|| mmllll-li-llllllmmun|m -A PATENT Patented May5, 1903.

FFICE.

JESSE WATSON BROOKS, OF CHURCH HILL, TEXAS.

WIRE-REELING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'vPatent No. 726,855, dated May 5,1903. f Application led October 22, 1902. Serial No. 128,343. (Nomodel.) I

To a/ZZ whom t Maginon/cern:

Be it known that LfJnssn WATSON BROOKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Church Hill, in the county of Rusk and State of Texas,haveinvented a new and useful Wire-Reeling Apparatus, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to devices employed y for handling the spools ofwire in building fences, Stringing telephone, telegraph, and othersimilar lines and which may be employed for stringing check-row wiresand for similar purposes,and has for its object the production ot' asimply-constructed and easily operated and handled device for supportingthe` spools, so arranged that the spools may be readily andeasilyinserted and detached and its movements controlled. y

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and thearrangement Ofparts, as hereinafter shown and described, and specifiedin the claims.

In the drawings illustrative o'f the invention, Figure 1 is a plan viewof the device complete. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation onthe line II II of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line IIIIIIof Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the brakeinechanismdetached. ,A

The improved device comprises a supporting-framework provided withoppositely-disposed axle members in longitudinal alinement transverselyof the framework and movably connected to the framework, so that theycan be `moved longitudinally, and `carrying the bearing-wheels by whichthe frameworkV may be supported and also carrying the wire-spoolrotatively by their adjacent ends, the axle members being movablelongitudinally to enable the spool to be released. Thesupporting-framework consists of longitudinal side members 1011connectedby trans- Verse brace members 12, spaced apart and bolted or otherwisesecured to the side members, as shown. Spaced from the side members 1011 are shorter longitudinal members 13 14, connected to the transversemembers 12, as shown. Movably mountedtransversely of the side members 1011 and the shorter members 13 14 are oppositely-disposed axle members 1516, the axle member15 engaging the spaced members 10 13 and the axlemember 16 likewise engaging the members 11 14 and projecting inwardlyfrom the members' 13 14, so that portions of 'the axle members projectinwardly toward each other from the longitudinal members 13v 14 andafford supports for the spool for the Wire,f the latter consisting ofthe central core 17 and the end members 18 19 of the usual construction.

'Connected to the outer ends df the axle members 1516 are links 20 2l,and connected to the outer ends ofthe links are levers 22 23, preferablyformed of spring-bars and connected at 24 25 to the sidemeinberslO l1,the free ends of the spring-bars terminating in handles 26 27. theirforce to, normally maintain ,the -axle members in their inward positionlinengag'ement with thespool, as'shown in Fig. 1, but willyield tooutward pressure to enable the axle members to be withdrawn from thespool, andV thus release it. The same action will take place when acharged spool is to be inserted, the action of inserting the spool beingvery simple and'easily accomplished, as will be obvious.

Rotativel y mounted upon the axle members between the side members 10 11and the Shorter longitudinal members 1314 are bearing-wheels 28 29,larger in diameter than the spool members 18 19, so that the"k latterwillj be carried free from the ground,' as indicated in Fig. 2.

It will be noted that the axle members 15 16 will 4never be entirelywithdrawn from engagement Vwith the shorter frame members 13 14, andconsequently will never be withdrawn from the' wheels 28 29. By Lthismeans the lbearing-'wheels 28 29 will "vatvall times be in operativeposition relative to theaxle and framework and will not be 'affected bythe longitudinal movement of the axle members.

The axle members are connectedN to the links 2O 21, so as to be movedlongitudinally thereby when the spring member`s`22 23, which engage thelinks, are operated, as above described. These axle members arepreferably in the form of short headedpintles. cylindrical incross-section, inserted through perforations in the links to permit themtorotate independently of the latter; but it is to be understood thatthe axle members may be formed integral with the links, in which caseThe spring-bars 22 23 exert l IGO rotation of the axles will beprevented owing to engagement of the spring members with the links.

Connected to the framework, preferably to the members 13 14, aretension-springs 30 31 in constant engagement by their free ends with thewire-spool to serve as yieldable brakes to the spool and prevent its tooeasy movement. The tension-springs may be of any suitable strength, sothat they will exert the requisite force upon the spool, and may be ofany size or strength required.

A brake means will be employed to coact with one or both of thetension-springs to increase or decrease the force of its engagement withthe wire-spool, and thus control the movement of the latter.

For the purpose of braking the reel I employ a wedge member 32,connected to an operating-handle 33 and adapted to be inserted betweenthe tension-spring 3l and the frame member 14E, which action willcompress the tension-springs more or less tightly against the spool, thewedge form of the member 32 enabling the pressure to be perfectlyregulated, and thus easily control the pressure and retard the movementof the spool to any desired extent or to check it entirely, as may bedesired. It will be obvious by this arrangement that the movement of thespool may be very easily and readily controlled by the operator.

The framework will preferably be provided with diagonal brace members34.- to increase its stability.

The side members 10 11 may be extended, as indicated at 35 36, to formthills or shafts to enable a horse to be connected to the framework, ifdesired; and to this end one of the members 12 will be provided with asingletree 37 of the ordinary construction to provide for the connectingof the horse with the apparatus.

The framework may be of any required size and of any suitable material,but will preferably be of wood and as light as possible to decrease itsbulkiness to the largest extent consistent with the required strengthand the strains to which it will be subjected. When employed with thethill or shaft extensions, a seat for the driver may also be added, ifrequired.

One of the Wedge brake members 32 33 may be attached to each of thetension-springs; but one only is shown as being sufticient to illustratethe invention, as the addition of another brake would not be a departurefrom the principle of the invention.

Under some circumstances it may be desirable to apply brakes to thedraft-wheels 28 29-for instance, when running along a side hill-When itmay be desirable to check the movement of one of the draft-Wheels toprevent the device tilting over, and this may be readily done byinserting a Wedge between the wheels 2S or 29, as the case may be, andthe adjacent transverse member 12, as indicated at 38 in Fig. 2, thiswedge member 38 being preferably supported when not in use by a flexiblestrap or other suitable support, (indicated at 39.)

This makes a very complete, easily-operated, and convenient device forthe purposes above enumerated and may be employed for supporting thespools of fence-wire, either barbed or otherwise, telegraph or telephonewire, and may also be employed in Stringing check-row wires and forother purposes in which Wire is required to be unwound from reels orspools.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a deviceof the character described, a reel, a supporting-frame,oppositely-disposed axle members carried by said frame and rotativelysupporting said reel, carrier-wheels mounted on the axles, and means formoving said axle members longitudinally independently of the Wheels torelease the reel.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of asupporting-frame having spaced longitudinal bars arranged in pairs, axlemembers carried by the bars and disposed transversely thereof,carrier-Wheels mounted on the axle members between the spaced bars, areel rotatively supported by the axle members, and means for moving theaxle members longitudinally independently of the wheels to release thereel.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of asupporting-frame, op positely-disposed axle members sustained by theframe, links engaging the outer ends of the axle members, carrier-wheelsmounted for rotation on the axles, a reel rotatively supported by theaxle members, and spring members engaging the links for moving the axlemembers longitudinally independently of the wheels to release the reel.

et. In a device of the character described, a reel, a supporting-frame,oppositely-disposed axle members carried by said frame and rotativelysupporting said reel, oppositely-disposed links movably connected tosaid axle members, and spring-controlled lever-arms movably engagingsaid links, whereby said axle members are yieldably supported andadapted to be moved longitudinally to release said axle, substantiallyas described.

5. In a device of the character described, a framework provided withspaced longitudinal members, axle members disposed in longitudinalalinement transversely upon said spaced frame members, carrier-wheelsengaging said axles between said spaced frame members, a reel carried bythe adjacent ends of said axles, and spring-levers for longitudinallymoving said axle members independently of said carrier-wheels to releasesaid reel, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described, a supporting-frame consistingof spaced side members extended at one end into draft-thills,longitudinally-alined axle members trans- ICO IIO

longitudinally moving said axle members to versely disposed upon theopposite endsof. my own I have hereto affixed m said side members,bearing-wheels engaging the presence of two Witnesses.

JESSE WATSON BROOKS.

Witnesses:

W. W. MOORE, W. E. DE LAMAR.

said axle members, a reel rotatively supported by said axle members, andmeans for release said reel, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the `foretg-foing as y signature in

